Northstar Firebird and Savage River Illusion

[MartinG]

Thank you everyone for the comments. I'm looking forward to giving the Firebird a spin this spring. My preference towards the Firebird was based on it's evolution from the Lady Bug more than anything, that, and the full wood trim package. I could have gotten aluminum trim on the Firebird to save weight, but I'm becoming more enamored of wood trim after decades of paddling aluminum trimmed canoes. The Illusion can be set up with an impressive choice of layups and would have weighed less with the beautiful cherry outwales but in the end I went with the Firebird. As I mentioned earlier, I don't think I could have made a bad decision either way since the Illusion and Firebird are great little sport canoes. It'd be fun to paddle an Illusion again, just for a reminder of it's handling characteristics.

MartinG,​

Fun video; your trials and tribulations are something I can relate to. A trip to remember.

The Firebird looked like it was performing pretty well in a variety of conditions. As an aside, I have a Kestrel and really like it. I think it's a good blending of a fast, detuned racing canoe like an Advantage and a responsive sport canoe like the Lady Bug. Certainly compromises at either end of the performance spectrum (not really fast and doesn't turn on a dime) but the results make for a versatile all-around canoe. It's probably the canoe I'd keep if I had to pare down to a single canoe.

I wish I got the wood gunnels!

I find the Firebird to be far more manuverable than the Kestrel and quite a bit slower. I can not keep up to a tandem canoe in the Firebird but was frequently ahead in the Kestrel. I have the luxury of two solos but if you could only choose one the Kestrel is a great option for many people.

While I loved it, I was forced to abandon my Kestrel. I'm a kneeler with Size 10 feet. Unfortunately, the clearance between the bottom of the seat and the hull in a Kestrel was too tight, leading to very painful hyper extension of my knees. My Firebird has nearly 2" more clearance. A much more comfortable sit for me.

 

[tketcham]

MartinG,​

Your description of the Firebird and Kestrel is similar to my experience with the Lady Bug and Kestrel. One of the things I appreciate about the Kestrel is that sit-and-switch paddling works quite well in that canoe. And then when you want to explore a small back-bay or inlet stream, it does that pretty well too. Luckily my wife and I can get our feet under that somewhat low seat by wearing neoprene socks.

No surprises on the speed of a Firebird and I'm in no hurry when I take a canoe like that out for a quick exploration. I enjoy being able to move around comfortably in the mid-section of the Lady Bug, partly because of the higher seat. I shouldn't even say it because I alpine ski, but, I'm looking forward to canoeing season(s).

 

[NikonF5user]

I have a Firebird. Prior to that I paddled a Kestrel. I sold the Kestrel and replaced it with a Firebird and a Magic.

My Magic is Starlight. It is for packing light, single carrying and travelling fast over lakes. I baby it because Starlight is not a durable layup. After a year and a half of owning the Magic, I don't love it. It doesn't like a stern quartering wind and it's not a comfortable fishing or photography platform. I may just need to give it more time. If I'm going out to paddle for fun, I take the Firebird.

My Firebird is IXP. It is for rivers and rougher routes. I don't baby it. Dragging up take outs and over Beaver dams. It is responsive and a lot of fun to paddle. It is a wonderful fishing and photography platform. A joy in ponds and twisty streams but capable of much more. I have no problem at all keeping it straight. It is also a great class 2 boat. It is a capable and maneuverable river runner for people who pack light. I love this boat. Recommend it to anyone looking for a fun agile do it all boat.

I don't have any video of me running rapids in this boat. But lots of paddling can be seen in this video.

Just out of curiosity, how do you feel about longer-term (3-5 or more days) tripping in your Firebird? I'm hemming and hawing about what to buy (and I have leads on both an ADC Boreas and a Bell Merlin 2), but there is also a Phoenix nearby that looks great (and is essentially a larger Firebird if I am not mistaken). The Phoenix is well-priced and beautiful, but I wonder if it would drive me nuts in Algonquin or in the Adirondacks (and in the "white gold" layup, the weight is about 38 pounds, as opposed to the upper 20s for the Boreas).

 

[MartinG]

The video I linked to above was an 8 day solo in a Firebird. I could do 2 weeks without any concern. On paper the Phoenix is a larger Firebird. Both are capable small water river boats. With the Phoenix able to carry a larger load. The Firebird is noticeably more nimble than the Phoenix.

 

[MartinG]

If you are interested in a Phoenix but put off by the layup, wait to see what Swift comes out with. Word is they will be releasing a Wildfire soon.

 

[NikonF5user]

If you are interested in a Phoenix but put off by the layup, wait to see what Swift comes out with. Word is they will be releasing a Wildfire soon.

Sadly I doubt I will be able to afford anything that Swift makes as a new boat, but I have paddled their Cruisers and Keewaydins and am quite a fan. Guessing the Wildfire will be more of a symmetrical boat like the Phoenix?

 

[NikonF5user]

The video I linked to above was an 8 day solo in a Firebird. I could do 2 weeks without any concern. On paper the Phoenix is a larger Firebird. Both are capable small water river boats. With the Phoenix able to carry a larger load. The Firebird is noticeably more nimble than the Phoenix.

I realized that after I replied! I love the idea of a Firebird (and also the Trillium - which to me sounds more like the Merlin 2 than a smaller NW Solo), but Northstar keeps telling me I'm too big for both (I'm about 6'1" and 215). What I really want to is to test paddle both (something I will do this summer somehow!). In any situation, I wonder how much more energy it takes to trip in a Firebird or Phoenix given that they're symmetrical? Hence my original question...

 

[yellowcanoe]

If you are interested in a Phoenix but put off by the layup, wait to see what Swift comes out with. Word is they will be releasing a Wildfire soon.

Wild has plenty of room for gear for two weeks. However if it is true to history the new model will have symmetrical rocker. I have tripped in mine but it is more of a river boat. Get a stern quartering wind going and that stern rocker makes the boat want to broach. It has not been my touring fave for that reason on lakes. I have had it since 1998.

Going downwind you spend a lot of energy keeping it on course. Strong torso rotation and draws to the stern whip it into shape .

 

[MartinG]

Sadly I doubt I will be able to afford anything that Swift makes as a new boat, but I have paddled their Cruisers and Keewaydins and am quite a fan. Guessing the Wildfire will be more of a symmetrical boat like the Phoenix?

The Phoenix is the the Bell Wildfire reborn. Hence the name. I imagine the Swift Wildfire is based off the old Bell Wildfire mold. Maybe with a few tweaks.